Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, has again called for EU and US sanctions to be lifted. Photograph: Ed Betz/AP

The Zimbabwean president offered a rare olive branch to the west today, with a call for "fresh, friendly and co-operative relations" with former enemies.

Robert Mugabe, subject to targeted sanctions by America and the EU, made the unusually conciliatory remarks in a speech at the opening of Zimbabwe's parliament.

But the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which is in a power-sharing deal with Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, played down the comments, saying that the president's words were yet to be matched by deeds.

Mugabe, 85, said: "Our country remains in a positive stance to enter into fresh, friendly and co-operative relations with all those countries that have been hostile to us in the past."

Unlike last year's opening, which was marred by jeering and heckling of Mugabe by MDC parliamentarians, today they applauded the president's call for unity. "Together let us build the bridges of amity, forgiveness, trust and togetherness," he said.

The statement implied a shift in tone because Mugabe normally uses setpiece public speeches to berate his western critics, especially Britain, the colonial power until Zimbabwe gained independence and he became leader in 1980.

He has accused them of ruining the economy in retaliation for a policy of seizing white-owned farms for landless blacks. Only last month, at the United Nations, he attacked the EU and US for their "illegal" sanctions, demanding: "Could they please, please, please stop their filthy clandestine, divisive antics?"

But there have been signs of a diplomatic thaw since the formation of the unity government in February. Last month an EU delegation became the first to visit Zimbabwe in seven years. After meetings with Mugabe and the prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, it described the picture as "mixed" and said targeted measures would remain in place.

Mugabe today again called for the sanctions to be lifted. "Our re-engagement with the EU block is gathering momentum," he said. "However, as our inclusive government re-engages the western countries, we expect those countries that have imposed illegal sanctions, which have hurt our people and continue to hurt our economy ... to remove them."

Mugabe is blamed by critics for plunging his country, once the bread basket of Africa, into poverty through mismanagement and corruption. His government has also been criticised for human rights abuses, including repression of opponents and the media.

The MDC gave a cautious response to Mugabe's comments. "You can't read too much into it," said spokesman Andrew Chadwick. "He says what people want to hear. He didn't mention one thing about the rule of law or legislation to advance people's freedoms. I don't think his speech bore any relation to the reality on the ground here."

Mugabe also told parliament that the government would pass a law on the mining sector soon. This would address concerns raised by an earlier draft that would have given locals control of mining operations owned by foreign companies.

Several mining firms, including the world's two biggest platinum producers, Anglo Platinum and Impala Platinum, have retained operations in Zimbabwe but largely put new projects on hold, fearing the mines could be taken over by the state.